Check out our release today launching RTÉ Digital

21st May 2012, RTÉ; RTÉ today announced the launch of a new division, RTÉ Digital which will be responsible for leading RTÉ’s overall digital strategy. A central part of this strategy is to ensure RTÉ’s content is available wherever and whenever the audience requires. RTÉ Digital will harness the collective digital expertise of the organisation to bring high-quality content and services to Irish and international audiences across a range of platforms, devices and markets. In addition, RTÉ Digital will continue to manage and develop its stable of industry-leading digital platforms and services such as RTÉ.ie, RTÉ Player and RTÉ News Now.

“Audiences are changing dramatically with the advent of new, more affordable and more sophisticated technologies,” says Múirne Laffan, Managing Director, RTÉ Digital. “As the media landscape is evolving, so too is RTÉ. The new digital division will bring RTÉ’s content to new audiences in different ways and anticipate the future needs of our users. Whether our audiences want to connect with us on mobile, IPTV, desktop, connected TVs, notebook or on gaming devices, our strategy is to ensure RTÉ content is accessible on whatever device, and everywhere.”

RTÉ Digital’s key priorities are to meet the needs of audiences now and in the future through innovation and technology, engagement with social media, and by playing an active role within the Digital Economy. The division will also seek to develop partnerships with industry-leading companies and organisations, in the areas of technology, design, device manufacture and content provision.

In line with RTÉ’s public service objectives and commercial trading obligations, RTÉ Digital will also manage and implement a new e-commerce and merchandising strategy to grow revenue. At the core of this strategy will be the development of premium on-demand services, digital merchandising and new mobile services. In addition, RTÉ Libraries and Archives – a national resource and a hugely valuable asset to the public – will be consolidated within RTÉ Digital, and public access to the wealth of video and audio archives will be prioritised through digital means.

The division announced today replaces RTÉ Publishing and has been formed through internal re-organisation.

Strategic Platforms and Distribution, responsible for the extension of RTÉ’s industry-leading services to new devices and platforms, as well as digital distribution, licensing and content syndication.

Content and Products, leading RTÉ Digital’s creative strategy and the channel management of brands such as RTÉ.ie, RTÉ Player and RTÉ News Now, as well as opening up access to the wealth of content in our Libraries and Archives.

Production and Operations, the technological powerhouse of RTÉ Digital, responsible for innovation, design, development of apps, services and platforms to support RTÉ’s digital infrastructure.

Digital Marketing, focused on audience insight and engagement across RTÉ and its digital products, brand strategy for RTÉ’s digital brands and services and marketing communications.

Commercial responsible for the advertising monetisation and commercial strategy for RTÉ’s on-demand platforms.